A sweet cat named Jerry was surrendered to the Humane Society of Broward County, leaving the staff in disbelief when they learned the reason why. The person who gave him up explained that Jerry was “too affectionate” and “too vocal.” It was a rationale the shelter had never encountered before, especially for such a loving and social cat. His case left the staff heartbroken, as it was clear Jerry simply wanted to give love and receive it in return.
Jerry’s owner felt he was too affectionate and meowed too much. He greeted her at the door and rubbed against her legs. She didn’t like his ‘demanding personality,’ as if being loving and vocal was a bad thing. She considered Jerry to be annoying and wanted him to be rehomed.
For the shelter staff, this was a first. “We were definitely surprised to have a cat surrendered due to being too affectionate,” Susan Leonti, the digital marketing specialist at the Humane Society of Broward County, told The Dodo. “Most of our adopters are actually looking for affectionate cats! We believe there is no such thing as a cat that is too affectionate.”
Jerry, however, didn’t understand why he’d ended up at the shelter. His world had been turned upside down, and he was heartbroken. At first, he was shy and hid from potential adopters, unsure of his new environment. But with time, Jerry began warming up to the shelter staff, who showered him with the love and attention he craved.
Recognizing how special Jerry was, the staff decided to share his story on TikTok, hoping to find him the perfect home. The response was overwhelming. By the next morning, a line of people had formed outside the shelter, all eager to give Jerry the loving home he deserved.
“They saw Jerry’s video on TikTok and ran to the shelter first thing in the morning to adopt him,” Leonti said. “They were first in a line of people that had seen Jerry’s video and were hoping to adopt him that morning.”
The family that ultimately adopted Jerry didn’t stop with giving him a new home. In a heartwarming gesture, they sponsored the adoption fees for three bonded cat siblings, Aramis, Porthos, and Athos, who had been at the shelter since Thanksgiving. The trio is still waiting for their forever home, but thanks to Jerry’s new family, their adoption journey has become a little easier.
These abusers are facing numerous charges of animal abuse, but we must also ensure they never own or interact with pets again and receive counseling for their twisted psychological states.
Now, Jerry is thriving in his new home, soaking up all the love and affection he could ever want. After such a rough start, he has finally found a family who appreciates him just the way he is. For Jerry, this is the happy ending he’s always deserved.
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@humanebroward Too affectionate That’s the reason 4-year-old Jerry was given-up. Jerry is a sweet cat that loves to be pet and rub up against you, but his former owner said it annoyed her too much. Jerry loved her, but she didn’t love him back, so she turned him in to our shelter. Now he’s heartbroken and confused. He’s hoping that someone will love him for who he is – a lovebug! Will you make Jerry your Valentine this year? ❤️ #cat #catrescue #adoptme #catsoftiktok #foryoupage #adoptacat #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound – Humane Society Broward County